[28] Looking to avenge the 4823 loss from the previous season, the Crimson Tide defeated the Rebels 406 at Legion Field. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. (); : The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Do you have a blog? If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Their lead was then stretched to 130 at halftime behind field goals of 33-yards by Bill Davis and 26-yards by Greg Gantt. 71 m footbl roster (PDF) Having trouble viewing this document? The 1972 Alabama Crimson Tide football team (variously "Alabama", "UA" or "Bama") represented the University of Alabama in the 1972 NCAA University Division football season. [8][9], After the NCAA enacted a rule that allowed its member institutions to schedule an eleventh regular season game, in January 1970 the Crimson Tide agreed to a home-and-home series with the University of Southern California (USC). Then, as now, it was serious, particularly for a running back. Tickets Ticket Info. [48][49] Scoring concluded in the third quarter behind a 16-yard Terry Davis touchdown run for the Crimson Tide and a seven-yard Paul Lyons touchdown pass to Andy Hamilton that made the final score 147. [39] The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against Houston to 70. 14 position in the AP Poll prior to their game at Legion Field. Jeff Kinney scored on a two-yard run and Johnny Rodgers on a 77-yard punt return in the first; Jerry Tagge scored on a one-yard run and Gary Dixon on a two-yard run in the second quarter. College Football Team Media Guides. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. In 1968, Texas head coach Darrell Royal and his offensive coordinator Emory Bellard introduced what would become known as the wishbone offense. [18][19] Southern Miss ended the shutout attempt with a nine-yard Doyle Orange touchdown run in the fourth, and Alabama closed with an 18-yard Steve Bisceglia touchdown run that made the final score 426. Of the 22 players who started on offense and defense in Alabamas season-opener vs. Miami last Saturday, 20 were African-American. 1971. Moments later after an Auburn punt, the Tide drove deep into Tigers territory, with Davis running 11 yards for the score. : 5 Trojans 1710 on a Friday night to open the 1971 season. See our list of forfeits and vacated games for more details. Main Header. Several players that were varsity lettermen from the 1971 squad were drafted into the National Football League (NFL) in the 1972, 1973 and 1974 drafts. [37] Against the Volunteers, Alabama ended a four-game losing streak that dated back to their 1967 season with this 3215 in their annual rivalry game. After the game, we came in for a team prayer, but Coach Bryant prayed, Jackson said in a 2020 short film Breaking Barriers, produced by the Alabama athletic department. [24][25] The 531 rushing yards made by Alabama were the most allowed by the Rebels' defense in school history. In 1959, Alabama took a 10-0 win that ended a five-game Auburn winning streak and started a Tide streak of four straight shutouts against the Tigers. They then took a 107 lead later in the second on a 32-yard Ricky Townsend field goal, and then extended their lead to 167 at halftime behind a five-yard halfback pass from Neil Clabo to Holloway. [26][27] The 531 rushing yards made by Alabama were the most allowed by the Rebels' defense in school history. [16][48][49] Bill Davis scored all of the first half points with his field goals of 29 and 38-yards that gave Alabama a 60 halftime lead. Alabama opened the season with an upset victory at USC. 7/7 Alabama Hosts Kentucky at Coleman Coliseum. And, of course, Alabama had Paul Bryant as coach. [41], As they entered their game against Mississippi State, Alabama retained their No. They extended it further to 170 early in the second quarter on an eight-yard Musso touchdown run. Do you have a sports website? Starters are marked with an asterisk (*). With both teams ranked in the top five, Alabama defeated Auburn 317 and captured the outright SEC football championship. Previous Season Next Season. 4 position in the AP Poll. [66] Ralph Stokes then went on and scored the game-winning touchdown for Alabama in the fourth quarter on a 38-yard run that made the final score 2823. See our list of forfeits and vacated games for more details. University of Alabama Athletics. More importantly, Alabama's first African-American football players took the field for the first time. 2 matchup for the national championship, Alabama was dominated by the Nebraska Cornhuskers 386 in the Orange Bowl. [39], With their over the Vols, Alabama retained their No. Fifty years ago, on Sept. 10, 1971, Paul Bear Bryants Crimson Tide traveled to the West Coast to meet heavily favored Southern Cal at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. [51], As they entered their game against Miami, Alabama retained their No. On Sept. 10, 1971, the Crimson Tide unleashed the wishbone offense on unsuspecting USC. There is still work to do, said Stokes, now a successful businessman in Atlanta whose own memoir One of the First, was published earlier this year. [11][12], USC responds with ten unanswered points and made the halftime score 1710. They then won their next four games over Southern Miss, Florida, Ole Miss and Vanderbilt and set up a top 20 match-up against Tennessee. [14][20][21] After Bill Davis gave the Crimson Tide a 30 lead with his first quarter field goal, Musso scored Alabama's next four touchdowns and extended their lead to 310. [65] The next week, Alabama rallied from a 15-point deficit and defeated Tulane 2322 at New Orleans. Deas, Tommy (September 10, 2013). [14][33][34] After the Crimson Tide took an early 60 lead on a 20-yard Terry Davis touchdown pass to David Bailey, the Vols responded with a four-yard Curt Watson touchdown run that made the score 76 at the end of the first quarter. And those guys that were crying, they knew that., Alabama's team picture in 1970, the last all-white football team at the school. [56], In what was a No. 1971 Football Archives. Record: 11-1 (3rd of 128) (Schedule & Results), Bowl Game: Lost Orange Bowl 38-6 versus Nebraska, Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Thursday, March 2, 6:51AM. However, they were unable to capture a national championship as they were defeated by No. [66] In the second quarter, Billingsley scored on a one-yard touchdown run, and again the Midshipmen responded with a 20-yard Brodhead touchdown pass to Rhett Bray that made the halftime score 1413. All rights reserved. [28], After their victory over Ole Miss, Alabama moved into the No. [13][14] Neither team scored in the second half as both defenses created several turnovers and Alabama won 1710. The 1971 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University in the 1971 NCAA University Division football season. [68] Green Wave points were scored on a 43-yard Steve Foley touchdown pass to Robert Johnson, a one-yard Foley touchdown run, a 50-yard John Washington punt return and on a 31-yard David Falgue field goal. [31][32] The victory improved Alabama's all-time record against Vanderbilt to 28174. Freshman "Baby Tide" roster: Danny Ridgeway/QB/#10, Mark Prudhomme/QB/#11, Duffy Boles/HB/#20, Ricky Davis/HB/#21, Mike Washington/HB/#24, James Taylor/FLK/#25, Bob Holmes/FB/#30, Randy Billingsley/HB/#31, Steve Ford/HB/#40, Mike Riley/HB/#41, Ralph Stokes/HB/#42, Gary Yelvington/HB/#43, Drew Cook/HB/#44, Ray Maxwell/LB/#45, Dwight Brown/LB/#46, Dennis Durrance/LB/#48, Mike Dubose/LB/#50, Dudley Sheppard/C/#51, Robert Brophy/E/#53, James Braasch/LB/#57, Steve Kulback/G/#60, Richard Whitley/G/#62, John Lewis/G/#63, Rodney Brown/G/#64, Rudy Wooten/T/#70, Barry McGee/T/#71, David Hagan/T/#72, John Hollis/T/#73, David Capan/T/#74, Lamar Langley/T/#75, Randy Hall/T/#76, Bob Bryan/T/#77, Rick Meadows/T/#78, Ronnie Barnes/E/#80, Terry Mager/E/#81, Joe Dale Harris/E/#82, Gene Lunceford/E/#83, Tom Nelson/E/#84, Glenn Turley/E/#85, Sylvester Croom/C/#87. [63][64] The Alabama freshmen squad was led by coach Clem Gryska for the 1971 season and finished with a record of four wins and one loss (41). Freshmen became eligible to play for the varsity in 1972, and future African-American standouts such as Woodrow Lowe, George Pugh, Will Shelby and Calvin Culliver had arrived in Tuscaloosa by 1973. Adding to the history, Auburn quarterback Pat Sullivan had been awarded the Heisman Trophy the week before the Tigers were to meet the Tide. 4 position in the AP Poll prior to their game against Houston. 1971 also marked the first season the Crimson Tide utilized the wishbone offense that Alabama became noted for throughout the remainder of Bryant's tenure as head coach at Alabama. The injury is now known as turf-toe. Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. The first came on a 31-yard Terry Davis pass to Wayne Wheeler and the second on a 30-yard Steve Higginbotham interception return. It was the Crimson Tide's 77th overall and 38th season as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. While the Crimson Tide finally fielded Black Players, they lost the National Championship to a well Integrated University of Nebraska team. [45], After their victory over Mississippi State, Alabama retained their No. [14][42][43] After Alabama took a 30 first quarter lead behind a 20-yard Bill Davis field goal, they scored a pair of touchdowns in the second. It was the Crimson Tide's 78th overall season and 39th season as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Some school's results have been altered by retroactive NCAA penalties. After Bill Davis connected on a 41-yard field goal, Johnny Musso scored on touchdown runs of 12 and six-yards in the victory. However, they were unable to capture a national championship as they were defeated by No. Johnny Musso was in the hallway outside the Alabama training room testing a sore toe. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. And so they became players that Southeastern Conference schools and so many teams would recruit because they were trained well, they knew the game, they were smart enough to learn all the systems. [66], At Knoxville, a 3613 loss to the Volunteers ended an eight-game winning streak for the Baby Tide. [8] The change to the wishbone was kept under such secrecy that when the media would visit practice, Bryant had the team practice the pro-style system that was phased out. 170 early in the hallway outside the Alabama training room testing a sore toe eight-game winning for... And, of course, Alabama rallied from a 15-point deficit and defeated Tulane 2322 at New Orleans Cornhuskers! Game against Miami, Alabama retained their No 12 and six-yards in the 1971 Tigers... 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